What does חָלַם (ḥālam) mean in the Bible?
חָלַם (ḥālam): Dreams arise from a state of plumpness or fullness, metaphorically representing unconscious vision or altered mental states.
Hebrew · H2492
חָלַם
Properly, to bind firmly , i.e. (by implication) to be (causatively to make ) plump ; also (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream
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חָלַםH2492
Pronunciationḥālam
What does חָלַם (ḥālam) mean in the Bible?
חָלַם (ḥālam): Dreams arise from a state of plumpness or fullness, metaphorically representing unconscious vision or altered mental states.
Full entry for חָלַם (H2492) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2492?
The BSB source-word alignment has 29 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (7), dreamer (3), had a dream (3), dream (2), dreams (2).
Where does חָלַם (ḥālam) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 28:12. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (14), Deuteronomy (3), Isaiah (3), Jeremiah (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It. . .7×Genesis 37:10, Genesis 40:8, Genesis 41:11, Genesis 41:15
dreamer3×Deuteronomy 13:1, Deuteronomy 13:3, Deuteronomy 13:5
had a dream3×Genesis 37:5, Genesis 40:5, Genesis 41:1
dream2×Genesis 37:9
dreams2×Isaiah 29:8
had dreams2×Genesis 41:11, Daniel 2:1
I had a dream2×Jeremiah 23:25
-1×Genesis 42:9
And [Jacob] had a dream1×Genesis 28:12
and dreamed1×Genesis 41:5
dream I had1×Genesis 37:6
like dreamers1×Psalms 126:1
men will dream dreams1×Joel 2:28
thrive1×Job 39:4
You have restored me to health1×Isaiah 38:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 28:12וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗םtoAnd [Jacob] had a dreamConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 37:5וַיַּחֲלֹ֤םtohad a dreamConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 37:6חָלָֽמְתִּי׃todream I hadVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularGenesis 37:9וַיַּחֲלֹ֥םtodreamConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 37:9חָלַ֤מְתִּֽיtodreamVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularGenesis 37:10חָלָ֑מְתָּto. . .Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularGenesis 40:5וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩tohad a dreamConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralGenesis 40:8חָלַ֔מְנוּto. . .Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralGenesis 41:1חֹלֵ֔םtohad a dreamVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularGenesis 41:5וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֖םtoand dreamedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 28:12
Aligned rows29
Books represented9
Genesis14Deuteronomy3Judges1Job1Psalms1Isaiah3Jeremiah3Daniel2Joel1
Source forms
חָלָֽמְתִּי׃2xḥā·lā·mə·tîGenesis 37:6, Jeremiah 23:25
וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם1xway·ya·ḥă·lōmGenesis 28:12
וַיַּחֲלֹ֤ם1xway·ya·ḥă·lōmGenesis 37:5
וַיַּחֲלֹ֥ם1xway·ya·ḥă·lōmGenesis 37:9
וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֖ם1xway·ya·ḥă·lōmGenesis 41:5
וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩1xway·ya·ḥal·mūGenesis 40:5
וַנַּֽחַלְמָ֥ה1xwan·na·ḥal·māhGenesis 41:11
וְתַחֲלִימֵ֖נִי1xwə·ṯa·ḥă·lî·mê·nîIsaiah 38:16
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular7xGenesis 37:6, Genesis 37:9, Genesis 41:15, Judges 7:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular4xGenesis 28:12, Genesis 37:5, Genesis 37:9, Genesis 41:5
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct3xDeuteronomy 13:1, Deuteronomy 13:3, Deuteronomy 13:5
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2xIsaiah 29:8
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural2xGenesis 40:8, Genesis 41:11
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular2xGenesis 42:9, Daniel 2:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular1xIsaiah 38:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural | third person feminine singular1xGenesis 41:11
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Dreams arise from a state of plumpness or fullness, metaphorically representing unconscious vision or altered mental states.
Source Gloss
properly, to bind firmly , i.e. (by implication) to be (causatively to make ) plump ; also (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Dreams arise from a state of plumpness or fullness, metaphorically representing unconscious vision or altered mental states.
properly, to bind firmly, i.e. (by implication) to be (causatively to make) plump; also (through the figurative sense of dumbness) to dream BDB: be healthy Usage: (cause to) dream(-er), be in good liking, recover.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms20
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense19×
PerfectDan 2:3 · Gen 37:6 · Gen 37:9 · Gen 41:15 · Jer 23:25 · Judg 7:13 · Dan 2:1 · Gen 42:9 · Gen 40:8 · Gen 41:11 · Gen 37:1012×
Participle activeDeut 13:2 · Deut 13:4 · Deut 13:6 · Gen 41:14×
ImperfectIsa 29:8 · Job 39:43×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action1×
Participle activeJer 29:81×
Word Origins
חָלַם is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.